First Blacked on Cab Company in St. Paul

The second item and photograph above is a of Sonny Lewis, a cab driver for the first Black owned cab company in Saint Paul. This photo was also brought during the history harvest. Interestingly, the driver would go on to found “Lewis and Son’s Upholstery” which became a prominent Black business in the Rondo Community. This photograph helps to continue building a counter-narrative against historical misrepresentations of Rondo. The community was not just productive, it was thriving as shown by the diversification of industries in which business owners were involved. The presence of a Black owned cab company further supports the fact that Rondo was a place of entrepreneurship and business acumen. In addition, considering the barriers facing communities of color during the early 20th century, the economic success and business ownership by Rondo community members is especially amazing.